Advice

Hi guys,
I'm 185cm high and I weight 78 kg.I pretty much hate myself like this and I want to change that. I want to lose like 8-10 kg of fat and gain some muscle.Because of that I got a diet plan made and now I'm thinking about the exercises.The past 2/3 years I haven't done anything fitness related and I'm afraid and ashamed to go to a gym ( I know that that is stupid ..) and so my mum I decided to buy some equipment for home,but I'm not really sure what would be best.I read at some sites that the best ways to lose weight are the treadmill and the elliptical and some say that the elliptical is better if the person using it hasn't run often and because of the pressure put on the joints when using the treadmill, I hope someone can give me advice on which to choose and also what weights should i get and which are the best exercises to do and please tell me if I'm missing something that I should do ?

What is your diet plan?

I think the best lifting book out there is New Rules of Lifting. It builds on the basic movement of the human body, has good exercise plans, and good progression information. (I've earned a personal trainer certificate through my college, and the methods in NROL are very sound based on what I've learned.) It doesn't require that much equipment either, which is a plus.

As for cardio - do the cardio you'll enjoy. If you're going to run or walk, invest in good shoes. Go to your local speciality shoe store and get fitted. Running can totally be safe for your joints, but the idea is you need to build up your ability. Start with a good walk/run program - my recommendation is the Zombies Run! 5k Training app. It's amazing. :)

If you're going to elliptical, make sure you're keeping your feet flat on the pads. Swimming is also awesome as is bicycling. Find what you'll enjoy and do it! Just remember to start out easy. The number one way people injure themselves is by trying to do too much too soon and once you injure yourself, it's hard to get back to it.

It would also be wise to include some flexibility work in your schedule. My preference for that is yoga. I think it's best to start a yoga practice with classes so you can get correction from an instructor if necessary, but there are also great videos and apps out there.

I was looking for a book and got this one for $5 bucks! Thanks!

If you want to lose fat and develop muscle, you must do resistance training - lifting weights. The best thing to do is meet with a personal trainer at your gym and ask him/her to develop a plan for you with your physical limitations in mind. Spending hours on the treadmill or elliptical alone won't get you to your goal, but you need a fitness professional to help you set up your plan.